THE HYDRA IS, without a doubt, one heck of a unique chassis. Its folded steel design, unique aesthetic, and open-air style has ensured that it holds a special place in our hearts. The shearing off of that Allen screw in particular hurt, as it’s a case that has lived in the MaximumPCoffices since we first took deliver y of it way back when. But it does prove that with some love and a few tweaks, an old chassis can still look the part and perform just as well as its latest counterparts.
There are a number of cases that fall into this category: Bitfenix’s Prodigy line, NZXT’s Manta, the Corsair Graphite 780t, the OG Fractal Design cases—you name it. They might not have the latest RGB or the best cable management, but if you can make them work, they will still serve you well, even in 2024.
All in all, the build process went surprisingly smoothly. Even with us snapping off that GPU screw, there were few hiccups or moments that challenged us. That’s to be expected when your only cooling is a single CPU cooler.